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This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Food

What's Frying at the LA County Fair

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"If it's slower, smaller and stupider than I am..." batter it up and throw it in the fryer!

As we entered the second week of the LA County Fair, LAist decided it was time to answer the eternal question: What are they deep-frying this year? We took one for the team last weekend, downing all manner of deep-fried goodies, including the good, the bad, and the ugly.

A Food Guide, which can be found at one of the many information booths, is really needed to navigate the orgy of food that is the county fair. BBQ is plentiful, and all manner of treats, sweets, and downright abominations are there to tempt the palate.

Even getting a comprehensive overview of the fried food alone proved to be an impossible labor. We immediately marked Twinkies and Snickers bars off the list, as they have been done to death. Frogs legs and fried apples just sounded too unappealing at the time. A few treats that were hard to find, like deep-fried waffles and cupcakes had to be left unsampled. Some of the treats listed in the Food Guide are also unavailable at Charlie's this year, such as olives, pickles, and the big disappointment, deep-fried Coca Cola. It must involve freezing, but it will have to remain a mystery. Sigh. Well, there's always next year.

Check out our recent rad County Fair photo essays here and here.

(Apologies to Anthony Bourdain for mangling his quote)

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